Modest Briggs hails bowling unit

James Shipp

White: Hampshire must show their character to avoid relegation

Danny Briggs paid tribute to the rest of Hampshire’s bowling attack after leading the Royals to the Friends Life t20 finals day.

The 20-year-old took career-best figures of five for 19 as Dominic Cork’s side thumped the Durham Dynamos by 55 runs at the Rose Bowl last night.

But the former Ventnor star believes credit must also go to his fellow bowlers.

‘It’s always nice to get some of the limelight but, as a spin triplet, we’ve got to work as a unit to pick up wickets and go for as few runs as possible,’ he said.

‘So far we’ve done that through the competition and the two seamers have also been brilliant at the top.

‘The main thing was just to bowl to an area the whole innings and luckily that came off. All the bowlers around me bowled economically as well.

‘This year we’ve bowled to our strengths and played to our strengths.

‘We knew we had to bowl well and luckily we did that early on and through the middle of their innings.’

Neil McKenzie’s 56 off 44 balls proved the difference between the two teams after Hampshire had posted 154 for six.

The South African shared a fourth-wicket stand of 66 with Sean Ervine, who struck a 30-ball 35.

And Briggs was full of praise for McKenzie.

‘We obviously lost a few wickets and it could have gone another way,’ he said.

‘But that partnership was massive.

‘And for Macca to go on and get a big score and be there at the end was key.’

The Royals will now be looking forward to August 27, when they compete in their second successive t20 finals day.

They will head to Edgbaston determined to defend their crown.

And Briggs believes their experience from last season can take them all the way this year, too. ‘We had a good time at finals day last year and some tight games as well, which was a good experience for everyone,’ he said.

‘Hopefully, if we have more of those situations, we can come out on top again.’